---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 14:43:42 +0200 (MET DST)
From: mira <peace at xs4all.nl>
To:
Subject: URGENT SOLIDARITY !!!
Emergency Alert!
Urgent solidarity needed as more PRD activists arrested
Two leading members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PRD), I
Gusti Astika Anom and Wilson, were captured by the military in
Java's third largest city, Semarang, on 9 September. Five other
PRD activists were caught with them but have since been released.
Wilson and Anom have been held in the Ungaran, Semarang, police
station and there are now reports that they are being handed over
to BIA, one of the state intelligence services.
Both Wilson and Anom were key speakers at the June international
conference on East Timor held at the University of Technology,
Sydney and University of Sydney earlier this year. Wilson is the
Coordinator of SPRIM (Indonesian People in Solidarity with the
Maubere People) and led 40 Indonesians and 40 East Timorese
inside the grounds of the Dutch Embassy last December 7 in a
protest against the Suharto dictatorship's occupation of East
Timor. Anom is the head of the Education and Organisation
Department of the PRD.
This is the latest event in an ongoing crackdown by the Suharto
regime against the Indonesian democratic movement and in
particular, the PRD. In Jakarta, journalist Goenawan Mohammed who
has just been interrogated has called on the democracy movement
to take a stand. He has made it clear that the accusations
against the PRD that they caused the July 27 riots was nonsense.
He knows the PRD leaders well as he has worked with them on the
Free Elections Monitoring Committee (KIPP).
In the context of a broadening democratic struggle behind ousted
Indonesian Democratic Party leader (PDI), Megawati Sukarnoputri,
PRD has emerged as a leading force and the organisation most
committed to involving the broadest layers of Indonesian people
in the struggle. Consequently, the regime's crackdown has also
focused on the PRD; of the 23 democracy activist now under
arrest, with the exception of the independent trade union leader,
Mochtar Pakpahan, all of them are members of PRD or their
affiliated mass organisations. PRD's continuing role is essential
if the Indonesian democratic movement is to continue to move
forward. PRD must be defended now in order to defend the
democratic movement as a whole.
The democracy movement needs our support more now than ever and
people in Australia need to take a stand too. We urge everybody
to support the appeal for financial support for the PRD and their
defence campaign. These recent arrests make it clear that the
regime will continue its offensive against the PRD. Therefore the
success of the October 28 protest becomes all the more important.
We urge people to contact ASIET and help with the October 28
International Day of Protest for Democracy and Human Rights.
James Balowski
Deputy National Coordinator
ASIET
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THE PEOPLE's DEMOCRATIC PARTY (PRD)
Arrests of SMID activists in Indonesia
Most sensitive to all forms of repression and economic, political and
cultural stagnation,the educated, the intellectuals, are an asset of a
nation. In Indonesia, however, those critical, those who differ with the
authorities, must be prepared for eventual imprisonment. This is what has
happened to SMID activists, who had vigorously and courageously
criticised the political system of the New Order, whose sole concern is
clinging to power.
In connection with the recent 27th July incident, activists of SMID, an
organisation affiliated to PRD, were hunted down by the military
authorities, who wanted to arrest them. Legal clauses dealing with
subversion are being applied to them. This means that they are liable to
20 year imprisonment and even to death sentences. Those SMID's
pro-democracy fighters who have been arrested and now being kept in
detention are:
A. SMID's Yogyakarta branch.
1. Sukarni Budi Kasih (fem./of Gajah Mada University in Yogyakarta). Known
by her nickname Barnie among friends and local activists , she is a 21-year
old student at the discipline of history, 1994 class. She has engaged
herself in various activities to uphold students' political rights. Since
1995 she has been member of SMID and arrested several times, as was the
case, for instance, when she joined in an action in solidarity with
East-Timor at the premises of the Dutch Embassy on 7th December 1995. She
led SMID's national action against the Ujung Pandan slaughter, against the
banning of Tempo magazine. She was also active in support of the PDI's
central council led by Megawati Sukarnoputri.
On Tuesday, 6th August 1996 she was arrested by the military resort command
072/Pamungkas headed by Infantry colonel Abdul Rahman. Both the Yogyakarta
regional and the Central Java provincial police have announced the
detention of some SMID activists. Sukarni Budi Kasih failed to be flanked
by lawyers when she was questioned.
SMID also stands for equal position in politics for women and men,
maintaining that only by political education and fighting together with the
people, can women contribute to the eradication of vestiges of feudal
culture.
B. SMID's branch in Surakarta (Solo)
1. Syamsuk Bahri (11th March University, Surakarta)
Syamsul Bahri (23) is a student of the university's economic faculty,
1993 class. He has been actively involved in the struggle for students'
political rights and democracy, taken part in students' actions in
Surakarta as well as in struggles by the people, including the action
by 14,000 workers of PT Sritex on 11h December 1995. It was as he was
taking part in obligatory social action internships for advanced students
in a rural area,in the subdistrict of Toroh, Grobogan district (Central
Java) that he was arrested by Police Colonel Ansyaad Mbai, acting on a
piece of information provided by the university head's office. After being
interrogated and signing a verbal official report at the Yogyakarta and
Surakarta regional police hedquarters, he was, in connection with the 27th
July disturbances, delivered to the Greater Jakarta Metropolitan Police.
Anti-subversion legal clauses were to be applied to him, which could carry
sentences of 20 years in prison or even life imprisonment.
2. Didit Sutopo (11th March University, Surakarta)
Didit Sutopo (23) studies history, at the Faculty of Literature. He has
been active in the students' movement, being aware that the students'
political rights and democracy have been emasculated by the authorities.
He has been much involved in actions for students' political rights as
well as in joint struggles with the people, as with peasants and workers.
The action by workers of the PT Sritex in Solo on 11th December 1995 was
a case in point.
He was arrested in his boarding house on 5t August 1996 by Colonel Ansyaad
Mbai of the Central Java Police detectives' section. During his detention
and his interrogation he was deprived of his right to be flanked by a
lawyer. He, too, is subjected to the application of anti-subversion legal
articles, for which he could be sentenced to 20 years or life
imprisonment.
3. Budi Pratomo (Muhamadiyah University, Yogyakarta)
He was arrested by a team of detectives of the Central Java police on 6th
July 1996. After detention by the Surakarta territorial police, he was
handed over to the Jakarta metropolitan police. He was also denied the
right to get legal assistance from a lawyer during the process of
interrogation as well as when a verbal official report was being made on
him. According to Munir, secretary of the operational section of the
Indonesian Legal Aid Institute(YLBHI), Budi Pratomo, as has Syamsul Bahri,
has officialy been made chief suspects. Both have now received warrants of
detention. It was stated in the warrants, Munir said, that the causes
leaading to both students being turned into chief suspects was their
being were suspected of having comitted "the criminal act of insulting the
President, of making pronouncements of hostility towards and hatred of the
government" when they were speaking on a free speech platform at (the
premises of PDI) at Diponegoro boulevard, Jakarta. Both were subjected to
application of clauses of Subversion Law PNPS/11/1963 and articles 134, 154
and 207 of the Criminal Code. Of the five persons arrested, Munir declared,
Hasanuddin and Syafei Kadarusman had been released.
c. Surabaya branch of SMID
1. Lisa Febrianti (Airlangga University, Surabaya)
This brave girl, nicknamed Icha (23) studies at the university's faculty of
social and political sciences and is secretary of the SMID's Surabaya
branch organisation. She has been much involved in struggles for students'
political rights and for democracy. She was arrested on 8th July 1996,
when taking part in an action by 20 thousand workers in Surabaya. She has
been a strong supporter of the leadership of the PDI's central council
headed by Megawati. She is a student well-known for her critical attitude
in social and political matters. She was arrested by the East Java
Bakortanasda (an official body coordinating the maintenance of national
stability) headed by Brawijaya regional military commander Imam Utomo. The
arrest of this activist has been confirmed by the chief of the body's
public relations section, Lieut. Colonel Slamet Soebagio. Her arrest was
made in the light of the 27th July disturbances in Jakarta. Asked by a
journalist about the time and place of her arrest, he said "(you) need
not know when and where she was arrested."
2. Zainal Abidin (Wijaya Kusuma University, Surabaya)
Zainal Abidin (24) is a student militant who has taken an active part in
struggles for students' rights and for democratic liberties. He had taken
an active part in a peasants' action at Singosari, in a strike action by 20
thousand workers at Tandes, Surabaya, on 8th July. For his participationm
he was ruthlessly mishandled by the military, so that he suffered from
wounds on his head where 8 stitches had to be carried out. He was arrested
at his home by men from Bakorstanasda. So far he has been kept in
isolation. It is not clear where he is being detained, and neither
journalists nor his lawyer have been able to see him. He, too, was
arrested in connection with the 27th July disturbances in Jakarta.
3. Trio Johanes Muliate Marpaung (Airlangga University, Surabaya)
Trio (23) is a student activist and a leading member of SMID's Surabaya
branch organisation. Out of his great concern for the cause of democracy
and human rights, he entered the political arena and joined SMID. He has
taken part several times in mass actions in Surabaya. He has shown a high
capability of mobility and a strong dedication to the organisation.
According to him, his participation in workers' actions has given him the
finest experience in struggle. Indeed, he was actively involved in a mass
action by 4000 workers in March as well as in the action of 20 thousand
workers later on in Surabaya.
4. Meantime 4 unidentified students and members of SMID have sought
protection at the Surabaya office of the Indonesian Institute for Legal Aid
(YLBHI), following attempts by plain-clothed men claiming themselves to be
>from the East Java Bakorstanada (under the Brawijaya military command).
They wanted to arrest those students, but refused to produce the necessary
warrants an to tell their identities.
D. SMID's Semarang branch
On 6th August 1996 security men of the Diponegoro regional military
command, together with those from the municipal police and from the
public prosecutor's office, stormed the SMID office in Tegalsari street,
Candisari subdistrict, Semarang. A number of SMID activists were arrested
in the process. Apart from that, what the officials could find there were
only cooking utensils and some used household objects.
The following are data about women activists of the Democratic People's
Party who are being detained by the New Orde military regime:
I. Dita Indah Sari (President of the Centre for Indonesian
Workers'Struggle)
On the 8 July 1996, 20.000 workers of 10 factories were launching their
actions in Surabaya (East Java). These actions were organised by the
Democratic People's Party (PRD), which went peacefully, but were crashed
brutally by the Indonesian Armed Forces. Clash was then unavoidably between
supporters of PRD and the military. Hundreds of workers were wounded with
holes in their heads, broken legs, in bruise, etc. Five of them should be
brought to the hospital. Having satisfied through knocking those
demonstators and some journalists, 24 PRD's activists were arrested by the
military and were brought to the police headquaters of Surabaya
(Mapoltabes). These 24 activists were then forced to put their signitures
for a verbal-process without assisted by any lawyer. The military refused
the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) to meet the activists. During the process the
authority intimidated and even hit those activists.
Dita Sari, the President of the independent trade union the Centre for
Indonesian Workers' Struggle (PPBI) was arrested while she was organising
the actions.
Dita Sari, the President of PPBI was born in Jakarta on 30 December 1972
(she is 24 years old). She has once been student of the Law Faculty of the
University of Indonesia. Then, she left the university for learning the
struggle from the working class and following courses from the trade union.
Being a woman she is known as a opposition figure of the pro democracy
struggle and of the workers'struggle. Dita Sari is always actively
participating the demonstrations against the regime. She has been
frequently arrested during the workers'actions: on 10 January 1995
involving 1500 workers of PT Ganda Guna Indonesia; on 1 Mey 1995 during the
World Labour Day Action in Jakarta; on 18 July 1995 in an action with
12.000 workers of PT Great River Industries; on 11 and 14 December 1995 in
an action of 14.000 workers of PT Sritex in Solo; on 19 June 1996 while
launching action at the People Assembly (DPR RI) involving 5000 workers of
PT Indoshoes and Kingstones; and latestly during the joined-action
involving 20.000 workers of 10 factories in Surabaya.
Dita Sari is also one of the functionarist at the head office of the
Independent Committee for Monitoring the Election and is the head of the
Operation Department. She is also active in organising actions for the
Indonesian oppositions and for Megawati's supporters. She is a regular
orator and is popular at the free public forum, held every day, at the head
office of the Indonesia Democratic Party (PDI).
The Centre for Indonesian Workers' Struggle (PPBI) is an independent trade
union and is established on 23 October 1994 in Ambarawa (Middle Java). The
main programme of PPBI are as follows:
Rp. 7.000 (US$ 3.25) per day for Minimum National Wage; Stop Military
Intervention and Freedom of Association. PPBI is actively involved in
organising workers mass actions in Jabotabek, Solo, Semarang, Surabaya and
Medan. PPBI is also active in educations for workers in different cities.
While resisting, PPBI is also active pursuing political consciousness for
workers sothat they actively involve in their struggle for democracy. For
having committed in political struggle, PPBI, during the 2nd conggress in
Yogyakarta, has been affiliated organisationally and politically with the
PRD (Democratic People's Party). Workers of PPBI are also active being
involved in launching actions supporting Megawati being held in Jakarta,
Solo, Semarang, Medan and Surabaya. PPBI is also the founder and member of
the Solidarity of the Indonesian People's Struggle for Maubere (SPRIM).
Branches of PPBI have been yet established in North Jakarta, East Jakarta,
Bogor, Tanggerang, Semarang, Solo, Gresik, Bangkalan, Mojokerto, Sidoardjo,
Surabaya, Bangkalan, Lamongan, and Medan. For propaganda purposes, PPBI
publishes Buruh Bergerak (Workers on the Move), Derap Perjuangan (Stream of
Struggles) and Workers Banner (in English), also some phamplets for workers
education.
In his pers release, the officer of the head office of Surabaya, Colonel
Rifai Wirdjodihardjo, states, "... both can be charged having criminal
conducts as regulated in the article 160 of KUHP (Criminal Codes)."(Kompas,
11 July 1996). While the military acuses them arbitrarily, the Fourth
Commander of Brawijaya, Imam Utomo acuses PRD as intending to replace the
1945 Constitution and the state ideology Pancasila. The chief of general
staff of the Indonesian Armed Forces Soeyono is of the opinion that "the
Surabaya actions" is a subversion one." The chief of public relations of
the Indonesian Armed Forces, Brigadier-General Amir Syarifudin states that
the detention of activists should follow the legal procedure.
All the above suspects violate the principle of "suspects should be viewed
as innocents." .
Dear comrades,
We, Coordinationgroup for Solidarity to the Peoples Resistance in Indonesia,
call an amergency petition calling on the General Suharto regime to:
A. STOP PERSECUTION, ARRESTING and TORTURED OF PRD'S, SSDI/SMID, PPBI,
SPRIM, MARI (Indonesian People's Congress), KIPP (Independent Comittee
for Monitoring the Election) ACTIVISTS
B. STOP POLITICAL REPRESSION IN INDONESIA
C. FREE DITA SARI (PPBI), BUDIMAN SUDJATMIKO (PRD), WILSON (SPRIM) and ALL
POLITICAL PRISONERS
D. BANNED SUBVERSION LAW AND FREE ALL CHARGED ACTIVIST CAUSE OF 27 JULY 1996
E. SUPPORT FREEDOM OF ASSEMBLY AND ORGANISATION
What are those the real reasons behind this protests, cause of targeted to
arrest the pro-democracy activists still going on, is to stop the crackdown
on pro-democracy activists and leaders!!!
Please support the EMERGENCY PETITION and send it to:
President of Republik Indonesia; Secretary of state; Fax: 345 2685
Minister of Foreign Affairs; Ali Alatas; Fax: 360 517; email:
Deplu at dfa-deplu.go.id
Minister of Politcal and social security Commander; Sosilo Sudarman, ph: 345
0918
Minister of Army Chief Commander; Cilangkap; Ph: 840 1210
Komnas HAM (National Commision of Human Rights); Ph:(021) 470 07 74,
Fax:(021) 470 07 75
For more Information: http://www.xs4all/~peace
URGENT ACTION TO FINANCE SUPPORT FOR SURVIVE OF ALL ACTIVISTS SECURITY !!!
We hope that you can to attent a problem of our comrades in Indonesia whose
in hiding at this moment.
Solidarity fundrising would be also from individual collected.
Thanks for your solidarity,
'Peace'
Transfering of funds:
NAME : 'PEACE'
No Rekening : 40545970
ABN/AMRO BANK
AMSTERDAM
NETHERLAND
For more information : http:www.xs4all/~peace
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Coordinationgroup for solidarity to the peoples resistance in Indonesia
HTTP://www.xs4all.nl/~peace
Email: peace at xs4all.nl
Tel/Fax: 31 (0) 20 6716597
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